When your air conditioner is fresh and working right, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything weird. Out of the ordinary air conditioner noises and strange smells are a clue that something is up. If your air conditioner is old or you haven’t had a tune-up done lately, they can be a clear sign you need pro air conditioning repair in Booneville.
Here are six of the top air conditioner smells and how you can repair them.
1. Central Air Conditioner Smells Like Chemicals
If your air conditioner smells bad when turned on, especially a chemical scent, it isn’t a great sign. You may also report your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical smells are frequently a hint that your air conditioner has a refrigerant leak. Your system needs this gas to shift heat through copper coils, which can break out over time.
Four Signs You Have a Refrigerant Leak
Besides the odd smell, here are four other hints that you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is operating.
- Frost on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- It’s hard keeping your house comfortable or having your desired temperature.
- Increasing utility bills.
How You Can Take Care of It
A refrigerant leak calls for experienced assistance from a heating and cooling company like Booneville Heating & Cooling. Your cooling technician will locate and fix the leak before recharging your air conditioner with refrigerant.
Repairing a refrigerant leak often costs between $225 and $1,600, based on nationwide averages put together by HomeAdvisor. Your total cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how many hours it takes to fix.
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it’s likely it runs on R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being made as a result of its adverse effects on the ozone layer. Because of this, repairs can be significantly expensive so it may be smartest to do air conditioning installation in this situation.
2. Air Conditioner Smells Like Gas
If your air conditioner smells like rotten eggs, there’s possibly nothing wrong with it. But there’s a good chance you have a natural gas leak in your home. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to alert you when there’s a leak, as the gas can be toxic in large amounts.
How You Can Fix It
If you detect a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we recommend:
- Switching off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Going outside right away.
- Contacting your gas company now.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Homeowners who contact us regarding this situation often mention their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it’s on. Also called dirty sock syndrome, this smell is typically caused by a dirty evaporator coil that has mold, mildew and bacteria buildup. Condensation can also make your home air conditioner smell bad. Dirty sock syndrome is most typical in areas where you use heating at night and during the morning before transitioning to cooling during the afternoon.
How to Repair It
The best method for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to routinely get a new air filter and schedule annual air conditioning maintenance with Booneville Heating & Cooling. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unclogged, because standing water can also create nasty odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are living with air conditioner mildew smell or a pungent, vinegar-like odor, it might be the result of several situations, including:
- A clogged filter
- Excess condensation
- Clogged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Solve It
Examine your filter first. If you haven’t replaced it within the last three months and can’t see light through it, you should replace it. If that doesn’t solve the issue, contact Booneville Heating & Cooling at 662-269-8716.
5. Air Conditioner Smells Like Burning Plastic
If you’re experiencing an air conditioner burning smell or that your air conditioner smells like fish, there could be a couple of things wrong. These include:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that requires lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical problem.
Electrical issues should be inspected right away to prevent a fire. If you detect burning plastic when your air conditioner is on, switch it off and contact us at 662-269-8716 without delay.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A powerful ammonia odor means there could be mold spreading in your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold produces.
How to Solve It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your well-being. That’s why you should have a professional like Booneville Heating & Cooling check your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when recommended.
Our Pros Can Take Care of Weird Air Conditioner Smells Rapidly
You deserve to be comfortable in your residence and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you are seeking relief from your stinky air conditioner, contact us at 662-269-8716. We’ll determine the issue quickly and fix it at a reasonable.
